Been toying around with starting a log...figured what the shit, if I don't like it I'll stop updating.

Background: Same old story... lifted for a long time (3-5 yrs) with not much progress...it's easy to get into a routine and not be honest with yourself about the results. Always thinking next time you'll have a better workout. Wasn't till I found the FORUMS section of T-Nation I began to hit every single rep with passion, record my daily workouts/nutrition and re-dedicate myself. My maxes suck but I'm progressing week-to-week and that's all I give a shit about.

Goal: To gain 30lbs in 6 months (October 1 - March 31, from 190lbs to 220lbs), or as much LBM as possible with fat gain reasonably in check. Reassess from there.

Progress: Gained 8 lbs in the first month and like the way it looks, so I may hit the 30lb goal by January. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Training: Nothing fancy, 4-day split based around doing one major lift each day (bench, overhead press, squat, DL). This way I can train as many consecutive days as I like, and take off days when I feel the need. I don't like prescribed off-days because some days you feel great despite having trained 4/5/6 days in a row. 95% of the time I lift 5-6 days per week.

Called it quits...very low volume for me but had to condense the workout due to work obligations today. Typically I do the two presses, 3-4 sets of lateral raises, then finish with a couple supersets involving calves shrugs and other forms of lateral raises.

I hate leg day. Mainly because I'm not progressing for shit on legs lately even though my upper body keeps hitting PRs. My worst enemy continues to be the mind/muscle connection, I just can NOT stay focused no matter how hard I try.

Felt better today than usual. Maybe it was because I gave myself two days off, but I was getting real deep on the squats without any discomfort. Anyway, the workout:

warmups etc.

Front Squat175 x 3185 x 3195 x 3205 x 3215 x 3225 x 3235 x 3245 x 3

SLDLs155 x 8175 x 8, 8, 6

BB Lunges125 x 9, 8, 7

Iso Seated Hammy Curl55 x 955 x 850 x 8

Iso Leg Extension50 x 1460 x 1265 x 9

Don't usually do isolated movements on extensions/curls, just once in a while to make sure nothing's getting imbalanced.

For every tall guy with a good deadlift, it sure seems like mine sucks donkey balls in comparison with my bench, relatively speaking. My form could use some work I guess, but it's probably just from so much more time spent benching before I starting DLing. At least I hope that's it.

I came in hoping for a 300lb deadlift today (previous PR was 275, but grip gave out and now I have straps). Didn't quite reach it BUT my grip didn't give out before I maxed out, so it's not all bad. Grip getting better by the week.

The lifts:

Deads225 x 3235 x 3245 x 3255 x 3265 x 3275 x 3285 x 3 (PR)

Chinsbw x 7bw x 5bw x 5bw x 4

Chest-supported T-Bar Row70 x 870 x 870 x 770 x 6

HS Iso Lat Pulldown65/side x 1370 x 11

Face Pulls25 x 1025 x 922.5 x 9

Cable Row100 x 8100 x 8100 x 7

Iso DB Hammer Curls30 x 830 x 6

Yes my Bis suck, but they were also completely drained from the back exercises. More volume than usual.

I must be fucking insane, or stupid. I cut my finger to the bone washing off a knife the night before. When I woke up I couldn't even lift my gym bag, I thought there was no way I'd train. Then I convinced myself to do legs. Then I said fuck it and deadlifted, setting a PR (and thoroughly grossing out anyone who saw my finger after the bandaid came off).

11/16: Deadlift/backWarmups: 5x5 jump squats with 25lb in each hand

Deadlifts (note on video: shitty angle, but looks like I'm moving the weight off the ground with my lower back, not my quads. Not good).

One-legged Leg Press1pps, max reps, maybe 10ish. This shit was awful for some reason...maybe the machine's heavier than the one I used on monday (several sets of 7-9 at 1.5 pps). Or maybe putting it at the end made a bigger difference then I thought it would. Either way, Ima be sore tomorrow.

Bench Press - finally went down to my chest like a good boy - surprisingly still got nearly as much weight up. This tells me that I was wrong in thinking my long forearms made it bad for me to not touch my chest with the bar

Saturday I tried to do some hill sprints, but it was cold as sin and burned my lungs. So I went inside and did a 3 or 4 repetitions of a circuit involving pushups, back extensions (hooking my feet under a pool table), squat thrusts and curls. I think I had a 5th exercise I'm forgetting.